Red Velvet Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Crust:

28-30 Oreo cookies (without center), crushed

1 stick (8 Tbl) butter, melted

2 Tbl sugar

heavy pinch of salt

Filling:

4 pkg 8 oz cream cheese, room temp

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 eggs, room temp

3 Tbl unsweetened cocoa

1/2 cup buttermilk, room temp

2 tsp vanilla

1 to 2 bottles of red food coloring

Topping:

1 tub 8 oz ready made whipped topping

3 oz cream cheese, room temp

1/2 cup sugar

Instructions:

Butter or spray a 9 inch springform pan
Mix crumbed cookies with sugar, salt and melted butter.
Press mixture into the bottom of the pan and up the sides as desired.
Bake at 350 for 6 to 8 minutes. Cool completely
Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
Beat in one egg at a time.
Add remaining ingredients one at a time, mixing thoroughly with each addition.
Pour filling onto crust and bake at 325 for 60 minutes. To test doneness: gently jiggle the pan, the edges should be mostly set and the middle should still jiggle.
Shut off oven, partially open door and leave in the oven for 1 hour. Remove and set aside to cool completely. Then chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
For topping: with an electric mixer, combine the whipped topping, cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
Frost or pipe topping onto chilled cheesecake.